


Cover

by orphan_account



Category: The Walking Dead & Related Fandoms, The Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: Alpha Merle Dixon, Alpha Rick Grimes, Alpha Shane Walsh, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alternate Universe - Dystopia, Attempted Rape/Non-Con, Daryl Needs a Hug, M/M, Omega Daryl Dixon, Slow Burn, alternative universe
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-04-17
Updated: 2017-04-18
Packaged: 2018-10-20 07:30:06
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,150
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10657803
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: Being an omega was supposed to be like winning the genetic lottery. All his life he’d heard that omegas were rare and wondrous and highly coveted, but Daryl saw them for what they really were. Omegas were prisoners, living cloistered and restrictive lives full of belittlement and objectification. Sure, they were trussed up in the best clothes, their lives made to look glamorous and exciting by the media that dogged their every move, but Daryl could see past the glittery smiles and breezy interviews.Omegas were slaves and there was no way in fuck he would ever allow himself to be counted among them.





	1. Hiding

Rick could see the panic in the other man’s eyes. Social norms dictated he and Shane should back off, but damn it all, he had ever smelled anything so completely and utterly amazing in his entire life. He stepped further into the stranger's space, aware that Shane had mirrored his steps. The man was effectively trapped between them, the silence broken by his shallow, panicked breaths.

“Rick,” Shane said, pressing his nose into the junction between the man's shoulder and neck. “You smelling this?”

He had to fight down the urge to tell his partner to back off as he leaned forward and took a deep breath. “No way,” he whispered, his face only inches from what he could safely assume was a real life, honest to god omega.

He didn’t expect violence.The very concept was so far removed from his understanding of omega nature that he didn’t even try to defend himself. He was punched in the gut and pushed to the ground, the wind knocked out of him as he landed hard on his back. He looked up, unsurprised to see Shane had acted where he hand’t. He was wrestling with the omega, trying to stop him without actually harming him. For his part the man was clearly fighting with everything he had, but Shane was a trained alpha in his prime. He managed to take the omega down in a choke hold, immobilising him completely.

Rock started to stand when Shane let out an impressive snarl. “Back off,” he hissed. “Omegas mine.”

“Now calm down,’ Rick said, trying to sound soothing. “You know as well as I do that the the omega needs to be handed over to the zodiac council. He isn't meant for men like us.”

“ _He_ is gonna rip out your guts and strangle you with em if you don't let go,” the omega hissed, still trying to break Shane’s hold. “Get off’a me.”

“I thought they were supposed to be,” Rick broke off, unsure how to continue. “You know, sweet?”

Shane straightened, bringing the omega with him. Rick could see his grip on the man's neck was already starting to bruise. “This one’s been let to run wild,” Shane’s nose pressed against the stranger's head and he inhaled deeply. “Sure does smell right though.”

There was a sudden spike of fear in the man's scent. It felt like being punched in the gut. “Maybe you ought to pass him to me,” Rick said, ignoring the glare the words evoked from both men.

“You want him,” he accused. “Want him for yourself.”

“It's not that. It's just, you're...distressing him. Can't you smell it?”

Shane drew the omega closer, clearly preparing to scent his throat. Rick watched Shane’s grip loosen as he pressed forward and then, as if in slow motion, the omega’s head snapped back, smashing into Shane's nose with an audible crack.

The omega bolted. Rick made a grab for him but the man twisted out of his reach.

“Are you ok?” Rick asked, turning to his partner

Blood was pouring between Shane's fingers, but when Rick went to his aid his partner gestured wildly at the omegas retreating form. “Get him.”

Rick nodded and gave chase. The omega already had an impressive head start but his scent, now buried in Rick’s nostrils, was clear and easy to track.

 

*******************************

ONE WEEK PREVIOUS

Daryl wiped his forearm across his brow, mopping away a day's worth of sweat and dirt as he hefted his bow and made his way back to the house.

Merle was sitting on the porch, his legs propped up on the fence. He watched Daryl approach and took a deep swig of beer. “Took your time,” he said, looking Daryl over with a penetrating stare, accessing he wasn't hurt and visibly relaxing. “Hunting go OK?”

“Scarce,” he muttered, moving to the seat next to Merle and dropping into with a small grunt. “What you been doing all day?”

“Fuck it got to do with you little brother?” He asked, peering at Daryl beneath slitted eyes. Yet despite his outward aggression his scent remained calm and relaxed. He stretched languidly, clearly pleased his little brother was back in eyeline.

“Just asking,” Daryl said, leaning back to enjoy the small breeze in the air. He felt dirty and hot. He wanted a shower.

“You stink,” Merel said, wrinkling his nose and echoing Daryl’s thoughts. “You didn’t meet anyone?”

Daryl hesitated and Merle instantly sat up a little straighter. “Wasn’t nothing,” Daryl said hastily “Just a couple of city boys, camping in the woods.”

“They see you?”

“I told you they were city boys.”

“How close?”

Daryl shrugged a little. “Kept upwind of them. They never knew I was there.”

“How close?”

The man was relentless. “They never knew I was there.”

Merle jumped to his feet and threw the bottle he was holding to the ground. It shattered on the decking, spraying Daryl with beer and shards of glass. “How fucking close?”

Daryl gave his brother an unimpressed look and wiped down his sodden trousers. “Thirty feet maybe.”

“Jesus fuck, little brother” Merle rubbed his hands over his head. “What were you thinking letting them get so close to you?”

Daryl shrugged. “Didn’t exactly plan on it. I was tracking a buck that was headed for the water and when I came out of the clearing they were just sort of stood there, fishing,” he shrugged. “  
I turned around before they knew I was there.”

“They didn’t smell you?”

“I told you I was upwind of them,” Daryl stood up with a soft huff. “Now shut your damn complaining already. I’m starved.”

“So cook us something,” Merle growled, gesturing with a small smile. “Ain’t it what you’re supposed to be good for?”

From anyone else it would have been a slight. With Merel it was just a bit of good natured ribbing. “Fuck you,” he hissed, stepping past the older man and making his way into their home. “And clean up the fucking mess you made


	2. Listen

“Fuck, fuck,” Daryl wheezed, moving faster than he’d ever run in his entire life. “Merle,” he screamed, not caring one damn that he was relying on his big brother for help. Hell, there were two of the fuckers and just one of him. He’d already tried taking them on and the big one had kicked his ass. “ _Merle_!”

He should have been paying attention. He didn’t even see the alpha until he was tackled solidly to the ground. “Fucker,” he wheezed, struggling to escape the other man’s arms as they grappled. He kicked out, hard, and felt a sense of accomplishment when he heard a pained grunt behind him. The arms released him and he struggled to his feet, turning around to face the smaller of the two alphas.

“You’re quick,” Daryl said, spitting blood from his lip. He must have bit it when they went down.

The alpha’s face crumpled, clearly distressed by the sight of omega blood. “Hasn’t anyone ever told you not to run from an alpha before?” he asked and he sounded genuinely perplexed.

“Hasn’t anyone ever told you to go fuck yourself before?” He shot back. It wasn’t the most elegant response, granted, but he’d never really been much good at speaking.

The other man blinked at him. “Where’s your alpha?”

“Who the fuck do you think I was calling?” Daryl snarled back, putting some distance between them.

“You live out here?” he asked, his eyes now flickering around them cautiously

“What it’s got to do with you?”

The alpha stepped forward again and Daryl reached down and grabbed a rock. He raised it threateningly and the alpha held out his hands appeasingly. “Hey, come on now. I’m not going to hurt you.”

“You take a step closer and you ain’t gotta worry about _hurting me_. I’ll smash your goddamn head in.”

The alpha’s eyes flickered behind Daryl for a less than a second. Daryl twisted around but didn’t have a chance to attack before a thick arm wrapped around his waist and another gripped his wrist. The other man squeezed hard enough that a little more pressure would break his wrist. Daryl released the rock with a grunt and thrashed furiously as he tried to break the other man's hold. “Get off me,” he cried. He sucked in a deep breath. “Merle!” he screamed.

The alpha released his wrist and slapped his hand over Daryl’s mouth, effectively gagging him. “Cuff him Rick,” he hissed at the smaller alpha over Daryl’s head.

“I’m not cuffing an omega,” Rick snapped, stepping forward to restrain Daryl’s flailing arms. “Hey,” he said, trying to gain Daryl’s attention. “I’m going to need you to calm down, ok? I don’t know what you’ve been told but we’re not going to hurt you. I promise. We just need to take you back with us for some questions, ok?”

Daryl tried to kick him. The man deflected the blow and stepped even closer. Daryl was effectively pinned between them. It wasn’t a fun feeling. Other than his dad and brother he’d had zero interactions with anyone else, never mind an actual alpha. Now he was trapped between two, their scents clogging up his nostrils. He didn’t like to admit it but some small, buried part of his nature was urging him to bare his neck in the hopes they wouldn’t hurt him.

All three of them jumped when the deafening sound of a bullet exploded a foot from where they were standing. Daryl looked up and felt an overwhelming sense of relief. “You got five seconds to let him go,” Merle said, pointing the gun at them. “Or I start shooting.”

The two alpha’s exchanged a brief look before Daryl was being spun around and pushed into Rick’s arms. Daryl looked down and felt a flush of terror when a cuff snapped around his wrist, the other clicking around Rick’s, effectively trapping them together.

“Oh, now that was really fucking stupid,” Merle said, pointing the gun at Rick. “You got a death wish you dumb piece of shit?”

“You sure you want to do that?” the big one asked, stepping between Rick and the gun. “I mean, maybe you should take a real close look at those cuffs. Got to wonder what two alpha’s are doing carrying them around in the mountains.”

“What you faggots get up to in your own damn time is none of my business.”

Daryl attempted to drag Rick closer to his brother. Another arm wrapped around his waist instead, pinning him against the alpha’s chest. Fucking alpha strength, Daryl thought, furious and frustrated as fuck. “Let go.”

“We’re cops mister. We came up here for some fishing. To relax, but I promise you that people know we’re up here. You kill us and you’re signing your own death certificate.”

“You two got your hands all over my little brother. Seems to me i’m just defending the two of us.”

“You’re little brother shouldn’t be up here in the first place. You know the law. Omegas registration is compulsory. That man should have been taken to the zodiac council the moment his designation was discovered.”

“He ain’t just a thing to be registered and taken away from his family. He’s his own man and i’ll be damned if I let two pigs ruin his life.”

“Ruin his life?” Rick asked, mystified. “Man, you got in wrong. No one’s gonna mistreat him. Your brother, he’s going to have the sort of life most people can only dream of. He’ll be cherished, adored.. _.God fucking damnit_!”

“Don’t talk about me like I ain't stood right next to you fucker,” Daryl couldn’t help but feel a little pleased with himself when the cop crumpled from the blow he’d dealt to his knee. He was a little pissed when Rick dragged him down next to him, grabbing Daryl’s upper arms and hoisting them both of their knees.

Merle was watching Daryl with a proud little smirk before he pointed the gun at the ape. “Where are the keys to the cuffs?”

“I’m warning you friend, drop the gun.”

“Ain’t gonna happen. The keys?”

Daryl watched as Rick used his cuffed arm to wrap around Darl’s waist and trap his free hand against his hip. He looked over his shoulder and felt his stomach drop when he realised Rick was holding a gun. It didn’t take a genius to figure out what was about to happen. Someone was going to get shot and it wasn’t likely to be the cops.

“Merle,” he said, trying to sound soothing. His brother turned to him instantly. “You gotta put down the gun.”

“You fucking insane?” his brother snarled, eyes flashing dangerously. “They ain’t gonna just let you go.”

“Merle, please. Drop the gun.”

“I ain’t letting them take you. I’ll get the key.”

“Merle, I’m begging you. Drop the goddamn gun.”


End file.
